ISLAMABAD – The Federal Constitutional Court has issued a significant ruling regarding underage marriages, confirming that Muslim men are permitted under Sharia law to marry women from the “People of the Book” including Christians and Jews.
The case involved Maria Bibi, a resident of Lahore, who converted to Islam and married a man named Shaharyar. Maria’s father had filed an abduction case, which was dismissed, and also submitted petitions for wrongful confinement, which the court rejected.
The court recognized Maria Bibi’s conversion and her marriage to Shaharyar as valid, stating that while the law mentions criminal penalties for child marriage, it does not annul the marriage itself.
Maria had formally accepted Islam prior to her marriage, and her declaration is documented. The court also noted that previous petitions regarding wrongful confinement had not properly considered her age and the relevant documents.
According to the ruling, the Federal Constitutional Court is the ultimate authority for constitutional interpretation in such matters and is not bound to follow Supreme Court decisions that conflict with legal or constitutional provisions.
